diff --git a/contrib/basic_archive/basic_archive.c b/contrib/basic_archive/basic_archive.c
index 6c7f985d48b..273fd54dc6d 100644
--- a/contrib/basic_archive/basic_archive.c
+++ b/contrib/basic_archive/basic_archive.c
@@ -94,57 +94,47 @@ _PG_archive_module_init(void)
  */
 static bool
 check_archive_directory(char **newval, void **extra, GucSource source)
+{
+	return true;
+}
+
+/*
+ * basic_archive_configured
+ *
+ * Checks that archive_directory is not blank and exists.
+ */
+static bool
+basic_archive_configured(ArchiveModuleState *state)
 {
 	struct stat st;
 
-	/*
-	 * The default value is an empty string, so we have to accept that value.
-	 * Our check_configured callback also checks for this and prevents
-	 * archiving from proceeding if it is still empty.
-	 */
-	if (*newval == NULL || *newval[0] == '\0')
-		return true;
+	if (archive_directory == NULL || archive_directory[0] == '\0')
+	{
+		arch_module_check_errdetail("%s is not set.",
+								"basic_archive.archive_directory");
+
+		return false;
+	}
 
 	/*
 	 * Make sure the file paths won't be too long.  The docs indicate that the
 	 * file names to be archived can be up to 64 characters long.
 	 */
-	if (strlen(*newval) + 64 + 2 >= MAXPGPATH)
+	if (strlen(archive_directory) + 64 + 2 >= MAXPGPATH)
 	{
-		GUC_check_errdetail("Archive directory too long.");
+		arch_module_check_errdetail("Archive directory too long.");
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * Do a basic sanity check that the specified archive directory exists. It
-	 * could be removed at some point in the future, so we still need to be
-	 * prepared for it not to exist in the actual archiving logic.
-	 */
-	if (stat(*newval, &st) != 0 || !S_ISDIR(st.st_mode))
+	if (stat(archive_directory, &st) != 0 || !S_ISDIR(st.st_mode))
 	{
-		GUC_check_errdetail("Specified archive directory does not exist.");
+		arch_module_check_errdetail("Specified archive directory does not exist.");
 		return false;
 	}
 
 	return true;
 }
 
-/*
- * basic_archive_configured
- *
- * Checks that archive_directory is not blank.
- */
-static bool
-basic_archive_configured(ArchiveModuleState *state)
-{
-	if (archive_directory != NULL && archive_directory[0] != '\0')
-		return true;
-
-	arch_module_check_errdetail("%s is not set.",
-								"basic_archive.archive_directory");
-	return false;
-}
-
 /*
  * basic_archive_file
  *